26 Mar Pesach; The Redemption from Mitzrayim
Inspired by the teachings of Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth
The redemption from Mitzrayim (Egypt), the Exodus, begins the journey of the Jewish Nation to its ultimate goal, The Final Redemption and Mashiach.
The journey and goal of every Jewish soul is Tikun Olam; to repair the world by bringing about person and National rectification body, mind and soul. The learning, living and teaching of these Torah principles is illuminated through the experience of the Haggadah. It is our purpose to be a light unto nations by power of example of Our righteous ways to the Nations through the process of Redemption.
The final redemption will mark a time when the the worlds spiritual impurities have reached an appropriate level of rectification to welcome Mashiach as G-d deems appropriate. When we sing at the end of the Seder ‘L’shona Haba’a B’rushalayem- Next Year in Jerusalem’ , we are adding to the ‘seder consciousness’ to merit a rectified Jerusalem of Mashiach by the next year G-d Willing.
The story of Haggadah serves as powerful lesson in life of today. It is through the adversity that the people , the Children of Israel became humbled and available to receive the Torah at Sinai. Having seen the amazing miracles of the 10 plagues, they needed only to follow Moses out of Egypt.
Only 1/5th came out of Egypt , about 2-3 million. Even having seen the awesomeness of G-d’s miracles,the 10 plagues, 4/5ths or about 13+/- million made a decision that the oppression of Egypt was not so bad….tolerable… even acceptable…and they stayed. For them, making change in their lives by following Moses not something they were prepared to make.. even though they had witnessed firsthand G-d’s miracles, the 10 plagues. Just imagine how downtrodden they were. So beaten down, they lost all perspective.
Today we still live in the consciousness of Mitzrayim where for many we have all but lost the ability to make change or even be aware that change may be necessary where there us a large, small or even unnoticeable issues or ‘blemishes’ in our lives . This is the root of oppression. Oppression can occur in our jobs, marriage and other relationships or interactions, politics, it may be caused by physical , spiritual or mental-emotional illness such as anger, depression or addictions. It can be borne of an inability to have compassion for another. When we fail to make progressive changes in our lives , living in a deficient oppressive state of consciousness may seem the norm.
We develop defense mechanisms to avoid the discomfort of change sometimes called klipot; husks or shells that cause us to cleave to a counterfeit reality. These are the causes of the states of oppression that compromise our free will to make righteous choices. It is likened to walking through life with a limp. This will discussed shortly.
Although we live in the greatest times of abundance and spiritual freedom, still we are reluctant to make the changes in our lives as the Torah prescribes. Its not all or nothing when it comes to Torah and fixing ourselves and fixing the world, Tikun Olam. But we do need a plan that includes increased Torah consciousness , and we do have to practice kindness in all our affairs to be able to make good and ‘rectified’ changes.
A basic concept of is the idea known as bring together opposites (not necessarily diametrically opposed). When opposites approach resolve they became more elevated and Holy… rectified as one. There is tremendous potential and power in rectifying opposites.
King David and an example of unification-
It is prohibited to using iron in the construction of the Temple, yet King David acquires as much iron as he did gold for the construction of the Temple. The question is Why?? The sages bring down that David understood the process of Unity, Mashiach and the Temple and that come the Final Redemption all becomes elevated to Holy. And so it is said ‘ All iron is as gold’ [as the physical world will have undergone a spiritual rectification… the mundane will be elevated].
Healing the blemish to bring the Final Redemption…
We may refer to a spiritual and-or physical deficiency as a ‘blemish’. As we know, the process of rectification of ourselves and this world, Tikun Olam, is the process of healing... ‘the healing of a/the blemish’. Here, we continue to see the process of the unification of opposites at work;
Esau and Yaakov (Jacob) were twin brothers of ‘opposing forces’. Esau midos-spiritual character was gevurah-might and Jacob was chesed- Loving kindness (Later Jacob was also known as Yisroel-Israel. He was then the embodiment of Tiferet-beauty and harmony).
Although it ‘seems’ controversial, Jacob was indeed the right choice to receive the first blessing from Isaac. Jacob midos-character was suited to receive the blessing as Jacob also possessed the ability to ‘rectify’ and acquire Esau midos, his strength and might in a rectifying way. This happened while they were alive physically , and continues on spiritually today. Jacob will eventually rectify and interinclude the energies of Esau in what we may call ‘the transformation of Esau’. In following this concept as we approach Messianic times, what is UN-Holy will become elevated to Holy through the process of Tshuva and Tikun Olam. All will become united as One.
They (Yaakov-Yisroel ) went down in to Mitzrayim limping, and left leaping and skipping-
The most common translation for ‘Pesach’ is to pass over, as the Angel of Death passed over the Israelite homes who’s doorways were marked with blood. But there are other translations that come from the word Pesach; to jump, to leap or to skip, which is very closely related to the (opposite) word Pesayach; to limp.
Of the two types of change the Baal Shem Tov speaks of, Evolution is a slower rate of change and Transformation, a rapid change.
In the transformation of the Israelites, they were slaves.., and then they were not! This is representative of quick-rapid change….transformation.
Kabbalistically, Pesach and the month of Nissan is connected with the mazel or star constellation of the Ram. Accordingly Pesach and the month of Nissan are referred to as the Holiday and the month of transformation. The presence of the ram indicates transformation as we can see with the shofar as a vehicle for transformation.
So now let’s revisit Jacob and Esau and the journey of the Redemption of the Israelites that will bring about the Final Redemption and the Mashiach. It was during the fight of Jacob and the angel of Esau that Esau blessed Jacob and gave Jacob another name ‘Yisroel’ . Yisroel was then Jacob’s name as he was associated with the National identity as the Patriarch of the Nation of Israel. In addition to the new name, Jacob’s hip was dislocated in the fight, his sciatic was damaged and he walked with a limp (peseyach). This physical damage was also a spiritual damage, a blemish incurred by the Jewish Nation to be healed over the period of time of The Redemption of the Jewish Nation.
The process of healing the spiritual and physical blemishes of the Jewish Nation began ‘as a Nation’ with the Redemption from Mitzrayim (Egypt), the story of Pesach. The process of Tshuva and Tikun Olam to bring about the Final Redemption continues today.
As we have said, the word Pesach has several interpretations; to pass over, to skip , to leap, to jump and in a negative context ‘to limp’. Yaakov (Jacob) then came down to Egypt ‘limping’ , and it was as a result of the redemption,; the mazel (constellation energies) of the Ram that skips and leaps that began and brought about the transformation of the Nation of Israel to leave Mitzrayim skipping and leaping… Pesach. Thus marking the beginning of the process of ‘healing the blemish’ (of Jacob’s spiritual hip/sciatic nerve) on the continued journey to bring the Final Redemption… Mashiach.
It is agreed by all traditions that the ‘sciatic hip area’ of the animal will become rectified and kosher for all to eat at the time Mashiach. It will be a sign of the rectification of this world and the tikun of ‘Jacobs limp’, his blemish.
At the time Jacob (his spiritual influence) will have acquired and rectified the energies/influences of Esau, Jacob will represent the interincluded embodiment of the rectified gevurah-strength and might of Esau. Along with Jacob’s own midos-character of chesed- loving kindness, it will result in Jacob of Tiferet- balance and harmony, a Jacob we also call Yisroel as Israel… The Land and Her People.
Each of us has our own personal Mitzrayim. Our own personal oppression. Pesach and the Seder is a a time to reflect and ask ourselves, ‘what is holding me prisoner, and what is my blemish that I need to heal ‘. It should be a blessing that this should inspire us to the change and action that will bring the Final Redemption… Mashiach.
Pesach Someyach,
L’shona Haba’a B’rushalayem- Next Year in Jerusalem’
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Addictions and Counselling (Hnrs)
www.LawrenceLax.com